What I'm Bringing to the Party: Bruschetta with Whipped Feta and Fresh Tomatoes

Given that Memorial Day is only a week away, summer is just around the corner. And as the days warm up, our social calendar is heating up, too. And of course no get-together would be complete without plenty of food.

One downside of having a food blog is that when I bring something to the party, the expectations tend to be pretty high. So, while I might secretly want to grab a bag of tortilla chips and a container of pico de gallo to share (you know, one tiny step above the jarred stuff), instead, I find myself poring through recipes looking for the perfect thing to bring to the party.

I found this recipe for bruschetta with whipped feta on a recent re-run of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. Of course Ina Garten always has the perfect party-ready recipe! I think this bruschetta is going to be even better later in the summer when local heirloom tomatoes are in season.

Bruschetta with Whipped Feta and Fresh Tomatoes (printer-friendly version)
makes 10+ servings

For the whipped feta:

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream (or Neuchâtel) cheese, softened
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the tomatoes:
2 tablespoons minced shallots (1 large shallot)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pints grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

20-25 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal baguette slices, brushed with olive oil and toasted

3 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves, for garnish

1. To make the whipped feta, add the feta and cream cheeses to the bowl of a food processor with the blade attached. Process until combined. Add in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and process until smooth. 

2. To make the tomato topping, add the minced shallots and garlic to a shallow bowl. Top with the red wine vinegar and let stand for five minutes. Then stir in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the halved grape tomatoes. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

3. To assemble the bruschetta, add a generous schmear of whipped feta to each baguette slice. Then top with the tomato mixture. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

(adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe)